Has anyone used this stuff? I saw it the other day and thought it could be a good idea to use it. It Is basically a supplement that contains silicon, and is supposed to help the plants do better in stressful environments, i.e. heat, cold, drought. It's been ridiculously hot here in Georgia, and I thought that this could be beneficial. Any thoughts?

It might have some marginal benefit in protecting from low temperature, but the jury is still out on that. Otherwise I don't think it is much use. Plants don't really "feel" heat. Leaves can burn if exposed to full sun from shade and wind and heat can dry soil, but if you keep your plants watered they will do fine in the heat, they might slow down their growth.

Actually Cornell tested the use of silicon with poinsettia and had excellent results, ultimately recommending silicon treatment for other crops such as corn and grasses to help prevent wilting as well as fungal attack. I may play around with Pro-Tekt myself as I could foresee both the supplemental K, as well as the silicon, both being helpful for Japanese Maples, Beeches or Hornbeams that have to suffer through a hot summer.

Funny that its just raw silicate in the stuff and not Potassium silicate which is usually how silicon is delivered in Ag settings. Either way it needs to be converted to silicic acid in order to be absorbed by the plant , I'm not sure if this is accomplished by soil microorganisms or not, I would assume it is.

I say try it out and let me know how it works, But first think to yourself; if your having issues with heat tolerance or fungus and are looking for a fertilizer supplement to help alleviate these, perhaps you should rethink your growing conditions.

-Jay

ETA; After a quick little bit of research I find the product is actually used by a few specialty Maple nurseries so I took the plunge and ordered a quart online, worth a try for only 10 bucks. I have one particular Maple that is very easily scorched and since I just defoliated all my maples, it will be fun to try this stuff out and see if the next flush of leaves will be stronger and less prone to the heat up on my deck.

Thanks to all for the comments. I'm definitely going to try this out. I saw it the other day when I was picking up some fertilizer, the store had all the dyna gro products right beside each other. So I wouldn't say that I was looking particularly for a supplement to help with heat stress. The Protekt did catch my eye though. Jay, how does one rethink their growing conditions? I'm not exactly sure by what you meant by that. The only thing that I could rethink and change would be the species of plants that I have...or maybe where I put the plants in the yard? But still, regardless of where the plants are put, it gets really really hot here. All my plants seem to be doing well, but my Japanese maple is looking scorched around the outside of the leaves, so I would think that the Protekt could maybe help out with this.

The bottle says to use with every watering, but that may only be for target nursery crops. I find once a month is adequate.It is the perfect solution to scorched maple and hornbeam leaves. However, it only benefits those species that utilize silicon anyway. A plant that does not incorporate silicon in its cell walls naturally may not show any difference. (Don't ask me who they are.)Somebody once wrote to the old IBC that if you contact a chemical supply company, you can buy potassium silicate much cheaper, but apparently that is not the same as Pro-TeKt.Iris

Last edited by bonsaisr on Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:45 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : Add another word)

Yes change in position, I think I'm on my third re-shuffle of my trees. The changing summer sun and the changing needs of the trees usually prompts me to re arrange things a few times per season, ending with full sun in early Fall for best color at senescence.

Mr. Carter wrote: but my Japanese maple is looking scorched around the outside of the leaves, so I would think that the Protekt could maybe help out with this.

It wont cure the scorch but perhaps help strengthen the plants remaining leaves. At this point in the season you should ease up on fertilizing the maple just keep it evenly moist. Part of the fun (for me anyway) of growing fancy Japanese Maples is trying to keep the leaves looking as good as you can for as long as you can. What I read last night led me to believe its an excellent product for maples...I'm looking forward to trying it.

Yeah I wasn't hoping for something to cure the scorch...although I wish they made something that did. My guess is that I wouldn't be able to actually see any results until next year, because as of now, my leaves are pretty much toast. I moved my maple into a spot where it got morning sun then afternoon shade, but it was just too hot. The leaves got worse. So I just wonder how they'd look if I were to of tried the Protekt. Jay, I'd like to hear how it works out for you and your maples.

Mr. Carter, you can't cure leaf scorch; the leaves are burnt. If the tree wasn't repotted this year, you can defoliate. With the use of Pro-TeKt, they will come in fine & not get scorched.For next year, start using Pro-TeKt as soon as your trees start to wake up. Put the maples & hornbeams out in shade, then gradually into almost full sun. They will need afternoon shade in your climate.Iris

coh wrote:So Jay, overall - how does your new fertilizer routine (including rainwater) seem to be working this season? Thinking about that extensive discussion we had in the winter about dyna-gro, pH, etc.

this could be its own thread but;

Much, Much better than last year when I used fish emulsion exclusively and had all sorts of deficiencies, and much much better than the year before that where I used miracle Grow (mixed to directions) and had trees that were all salt burned. So far this is my best year yet with regards to overall tree health, I have 60 something different species and making them all happy is tough but so far the Dyna 7-7-7 is doing the best job of everything I've tried.

Rain water? well like you Chris my cup runneth dry but I have a backup old tub filled with rainwater to get me through the lean times. NO Ph issues with any of the trees at all this year. Just K deficiency and Mn because of the infrequent fertilizing routine and the highly leached soil.

Still have the occasional fertilizer burn so I worked out the correct Dyna dosage for my trees on my deck is 1/4 tsp per gallon ONCE a week. Yet that rate of fertilizer is very low and I have started using Osmocote Plus, which is Urea free and has all micros and I'm seeing VERY good results. And no burn. The national arboretum in DC also uses Dyna grow for their bonsai.

One of the things that is taking me a great deal of time to master is learning when NOT to water plants potted in pure turface. Its very water retentive and its that trait more than anything else that has lead to the occasional burn or crisped leaf or root issue this year. Its deceptive stuff, it may look dry up top, but a few inches down its sopping wet.

It seems the longer I do this, the less I think I understand about watering and fertilizing. I'm hoping it all clicks at some point. You're definitely right about the turface, it does seem to stay deceptively wet "down below". But you know what? I have one tree (collected engleman spruce) that is potted in pure pumice. When I bought it last spring, I was told to water it everyday (during spring/summer). Well, I thought I knew better...everytime I picked up the pot it seemed there was water coming out the bottom. So I figured it was getting too much water and I cut way back. Well, much of the new growth that was coming out started to brown out from LACK of water! Fortunately I realized what was going on and went back to the everyday watering. Plant recovered and set many buds which all opened into healthy new growth this spring.

I guess despite the seeming overabundance of water, the pumice must have enough air space to compensate...because the roots looked great when I repotted this spring. Maybe the turface doesn't have as much air space...or maybe different species react differently?

I've used Protek for many years, still use it now, both on orchids and on bonsai. Excellent product, but keep in mind too much of a good thing is "not so much" a good thing. First, don't go 'full strength', under the right conditions, this is perfectly fine, but under a heavy fertilizer regime where you are using a lot of other fertilizers the Proket can send you over the plant's ability to tolerate the necessary in smaller doses Potassium (K). Too much K and you will block Calcium and Magnesium uptake. Keeping the dose down to half strength or even quarter strength you avoid the problems.

For most chemical fertilizers, using the manufacturer's dose rates can be pushing the trees too much. Safer to use at half or 1/4 strength. At least once a month all trees should get a flushing of clear water with no additives. ( I used to be a full fledged proponent of continuous feeding, I'm backing off on that now a days)

I will keep using protek it is good, but like Iris mentioned, it won't help with damage that already happened. Start with it now at 1/4 strength for the maple (because it has been weakend by leaf burn) and it will help with the winter bud survival.

good growing, you seem to be off to a good start, your questions are good questions.

Pardon my digging up an older thread, but I recently purchased a bottle of protekt hoping that it might help me out with some spider mite issues, and even if it doesn't I read a couple research studies that indicating that soluble silicon could be beneficial for many plants. I was a little concerned however after reading the amazon reviews that it might throw my ph too high. I've never knowingly had any ph issues with tap around here and so I've never learned how to measure the ph, but I figure it leaves me w a few options.

Use as directed with 1/2 TS per gallon and then my standard (continuous) 1/2 TS of dyna 7-9-5 and hope I don't fry anything

I have a few more years of using these products under my belt. For the orchids I use a continuous feeding system, where every time they are watered they get fertilizer. Used as directed or at slightly lower concentrations, Pro Tek is safe, the pH kick is not a big deal, as it is transitory. One thing to make sure of. Occasionally, especially after Pro-Tek and other high Potassium ( K ) fertilizer applications, make sure there is at least one watering with clear water. Potassium is highly soluble, any imbalance will be flushed out by the occasional clear water flush between doses with fertilizer. Clear water (rain or municiple) will leach Potassium out of plant tissues, because K is so soluble.